Address plate



July 14, 1936. yw. T. GOLLWITZER ADDRES S PLATE Filed sept. e, 1932 lit)Patented July 14, 1936 UNITEDSTATS PATENT ori-ies .ADDRESS PLATEApplieation September 6 1932, Serial No. 631,757 1o claims. (o1. 1v1-369) This invention relates to a printing plate holder, and especiallyto a holder arranged to carry an embossed printing plate for use inprinting addresses and the like.

The object of this invention is to provide a lholder which will be soreinforced as to prevent member, while maintaining a minimum weight forthe holder.

Other specic objects of the invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description, which refers to a preferred form of holderillustrated in the accompanying drawing, and the novel features will beset forth in the claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan of a printing plate holder embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a plan looking at the rear face of the holderillustrated in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an end view of the holder; Figs. 4, 5,and 6 are sections as indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines onFig. l; Fig. 7 is an end View of my improved holder, distorted byhandling or other rough usage; Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate modifledholders.

One use for printing plate holders, of the type with which my inventionis concerned, is Vto print successive addresses or other' data onsuccessive envelopes or sheets. In such instances, a group of individualholders, each having its individual printing plate mounted thereon, arecommonly stacked in a magazine, one on top of the other, and fed one ata time from the bottom of the stack to a printing mechanism, which makesthe `impression on the sheet or envelope by means of the printing membercarried by the holder. The holders are then discharged into a receivingmagazine, which in som'e instances is a filing drawer, in which a groupof perhaps two hundred or more of such holders, together with theirprinting plates are stored. While this is the normal use of the holders,they are lfrequently sorted, and new holders substituted, to enablelists or addresses printed from the impression plates thereon to bemaintained correct and up-to-date.

Further, many printing Vplates in the group or storage drawers may beused for a comparatively long period of time. Hence, to protect theprinting .plate during constant handling,vthe holder must be durable.Other plates in the group may be used a comparatively short time. Foregonomy, the printing plates are removably secured in position on theirrespective holders, so that a new printing plate may be substituted fora discarded plate without causing the loss of the plate holder. Itfollows, therefore, that the holders are in use for comparatively longperiods of time, and are constantly handled for the purpose of strikingimpressions therefrom, for ,maintaining the plates in proper order orsequence and for removing one printing plate from its holder and 10substitute a new plate in its place.

It has been found that metals are the most durable materials for use inmanufacturing a holder and printing plate. However, as Vthe holders mayvary in size, some of them approximating four inches'square, it canreadily be seen that if they are to be Vstored in manually handleddrawers or magazines containing possibly two hundred or more plat-eholders, it is highly desirable to eliminate all weight possible. Hence,sheet metal .of v,relatively light weight is preferably used. Itfollows, therefore, that plate holders manufactured ofsuch metal to belight must be reinforced for strength, to avoid distortion of theprinting member, which in most instances also comprises a thin strip orplate of m'etal having the required printing character embossed thereon.

When the printing characters are embossed on metal plates it isexceedingly difficult for an operator to read them correctly. The colorof the characters in such instances is substantially the same as themetal from which they are embossedor upstruck, and are ordinarily`comparatively small, of a size such as typewriter characters. 35 Theembossed characters appear on the printing surface in reverse order andreverse position. Therefore, in order to read the character the operatormust read from right to left, rather than from' left to right, as theordinary printing. In view of vthese diiiiculties, it has been founddesirable to removably mount on the holder a card having printed thereonsuch data as will identify the printing plate carried by its holder. Forthis purpose, the use of a white or lightcolored card is preferred, assuch a card may be printed in black or other contrasting color in theregular manner. However, the use of such cards `materially increases thesize of the holder, usually doubling it.

In ordinary printing machines, used to make impressions from theprinting plate carried by such plateV holders, the holders are supportedduring the printing operation over the entire region below the .printingplates by a suitable anvil, 55

and are either struck by a reciprocating platen member, or a platenroller is drawn across the plates. Both of these methods, and mechanismsto accomplish them, are well known in the art. However, in either typeof mechanism the paper is disposed between the platen and the printingplate. Hence, if the printing plate is not fiat, a distorted impressionwill result. This is especially true in cases Where the plate has aridge formed thereon, due to the bending of the holder and its plate byrough handling.

It is therefore apparent that to obtain the best results, the holdersmust be made as rigid as possible to prevent the distortion of theprinting plates, and they likewise must be made as light as possible topermit them to be stored in magazines containing a comparatively greatnumber of plates without causing the magazine to be of such weight thatit cannot be easily handled by the operator.

Referring now to the drawing, Iii indicates in general an address plateholder embodying my invention. Removably mounted on the holder IU is aprinting member Ii and an identification or data card I2. The holder II, for reasons heretoiore explained, preferably comprises a flat,comparatively light metal plate, approximately ten to fteen thousandthsof an inch in thickness.

The printing plate may be, as shown, a thin metallic plate or strip ofsubstantially the same material as the holder and having embossedthereon suitable printing characters l5. The length oi the printingstrip is approximately the same as the length of the holder and theheight materially less, in order that a suflicient amount of holdersurface may be provided to support the indicia card.

As shown in Fig. 1, the printing plate I I is removably secured inposition on the lower portion or area I6 of the holder. The lowermostedge of the holder is bent upwardly and inwardly on itself forming a lipIl extending across substantially the entire lower edge of the holderand beneath which lip the printing plate may be slid to position it onthe holder. The upper edge of the printing plate is positioned by aseries of lips i8, which are struck up from the body of the plate andthen bent downwardly parallel to the surface of the holder to overliethe upper edge of the printing plate. The printing plate is preventedfrom endwise movement by abutments IS carried by tongues 223 which areseparated from the holder on three sides in order that they may bedepressed to enable the printing plate to be slid over the abutments forthe purpose of placing it on, or removing it from, the holder.

The identification or data bearing card I2 is removably secured to thetop portion or area 2l of the holder. This card is preferably paper orcardboard and has suflicient rigidity to enable it to be retained inplace on the holder in such a manner as will permit the greater portionof the card to be visible to the operator. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 theupper edge of the card I 2 underlies a lip 22 bent upwardly anddownwardly parallel with the body of the holder, while the lower edge ofthe card is retained by a series of lips 23 struck up from the plane ofthe holder and overlying the bottom edge of the card.

The card I I is prevented from shifting sideways of the holder by acorner lip 23a and a lip 24, both of which are struck up from the holderand overlying the left hand edge of the card in a manner similar to thelips 23. An abutment 25 struck up from the holder prevents the card frommovement toward the right (Fig. l). The cards are preferably iiexibleand therefore may be readily raised above the abutment 25 for removal orinsertion on the holder.

From the foregoing it is readily seen that the lips Il and 22 which aidin retaining the plate l and card I2, respectively, in place on theholder, together with the lips 23 and it serve to materially strengthenthe holder against bending in a direction transversely of the card andprinting plate, However, they do not aid in preventing the bending ofthe plate and holder along lines parallel or substantially parallel withthe long dimension or the printing plate or card. In the past, the sidesof the holder have been bent inwardiy upon the back of the holder forits entire height. This bent part was then upset between its inner andthe outer edges and squeezed together to form a spacing nange. Theflanges were, however, designed to space the plate holders so that whenthey were stacked at, one on top of another, the bottom of one holderwould not rub or mar the impression surfaces of the printing platecarried by the holder directly below. Such a holder is shown in Patents1,096,495, and 1,812,894, issued to Addressograph Company, as assigneeof J. S. Duncan, May 12th, i914, and V. J. Mohler, July 7, 193i,respectively.

The side ribs described, while designed to space the holders would, ofcourse, serve to strengthen them against bending along lines passingthrough the ends of the holder. However, I have found that the mostsevere strains to which the holders are subjected, act in such adirection that the plates are bent longitudinally cf the printing plate.I have also found that when the entire length of the ends of the holdersare iianged as just described, that unless considerable material is usedin making the flanges, (that is, unless the rib has considerable depthand its base considerable width), such construction does not prevent theholder from being bent along a longitudinal line, with the result thatthe plate is distorted and defective impressions are made, as heretoforeexplained. Other formations of reinforcing beads have been tried withthe same results.

When end reinforcing members are used which have sufcient strength toresist the forces which cause the bending of the holder, either the sizeor weight of the holder is increased an amount which presents a seriousobstacle in the handling of a drawer or magazine containing a number ofholders. When the depth of the reinforcing ange is increased tostrengthen the holders, the number of such holders which can be stacked,one on top of the other, in a denite height, is decreased, therebyrequiring more frequent changing of magazines and requiring additionalstorage space. Either of these conditions presents serious disadvantagesin handling the printing plate holders in actual use.

Due to present demands for greater printing area, the size of theholders are constantly being enlarged. That is, the distance 'from topto bottom is being increased. Such enlarged holders are much more easilybent than their predecessors, and the disadvantages of formerconstructions is increased and the problem of strengthening suchenlarged holders to overcome the disadvantages made more diicult.Likewise, in recent years, the art of printing from address plates hasadvanced materially and the demand for more `accurate copy has increasedwith this advancement. Hence, defects in impressions, which before wereconsidered immaterial, have now become highly material.

It is obvious that to strengthen the edge of the holder or increasetheweight or size of the material, while it might overcome the lack ofrigidity of the holder, would present other disadvantages which arehighly undesirable. However, I have found that by decreasing the amountof reinforcing at `the ends of the holder I can'increase the rigidity ofthat portion of the holder which supports the printing plate, and it isthe bending of such portion or area that affects the impression.Likewise, not only .am I able to increase the rigidity of the portion ofthe holder which supports the impression plate, but at the same time Idecrease the amount of metal in the holder thereby decreasing its weightas well as the weight of a magazine containing, for instance, twohundred such holders.

To accomplish the result just described, I employ reinforcing ribs ofsubstantially the'same cross-sectionas used in the past, but I exten-dsuch reinforcing .along the ends of the holder from the bottom edgethereof for a predetermined distance, which in all instances be less thelength of the end of the holder, and preferably will be a distancesubstantially equivalent to the end of the area I6 of the holder, overwhich area is superimposed the printing plate I I. The remaining portionof the edge is turned or bent upwardly and inwardly parallel andcontacting with the surface of the holder, whichprevents possiblecontact by the operator with sharp edges of the holder. Y

My improved address plate holder is reinforced at its lends by ribs 32which extend upwardly on the underside of the .holder for a distanceless than the total length of the holder. Preferably the ribs aresubstantially the same length as the height of the maximum sizedprinting plate used.

AS shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the sides or ends 3i) of the holder are notcontinuous, but are interrupted by a shoulder 3l, the lower or ribbedportion of the sides extending outwardly beyond the upper or nonribbedportion of the sides. As shown, the lower portion of each side is bentdownwardly and inwardly forming a flange 32, which abuts the undersideof the holder. 'Intermediate the inner edge 33 of each flange 32 and theedge 34 of the holder, the flange is upset and .formed into downwardlyextending corrugation or rib 35, which reinforces the holder at the endsof the area I5 which supports the printing plate.

By constructing my holder in this manner, I have shortened the length ofthe reinforcing bead or beam. It follows, therefore, ythat I haveincreased the rigidity of the beam without adding material or changingthe cross-sectional dimension vof such reinforcing from that which hasbeen in use heretofore. This, therefore, increases' the rigidity of thatporion of the holder 'which ,Support-s the printing plate.

Address plate holders are used, as heretofore mentioned, in printingmachines which automatically feed a holder at a time, from the bottom ofa stack of holders retained in a vertically extending magazine, across atable to an impression position. Asa rule, the holders are fed b-y barsor chains which are provided, at predetermined intervals, withupstanding lugs arranged to engage the rearmost edge v0f a holder andshove it forward. Generally such lugs engage a reinforcing member of theholder. In my improved holder, the reinforcing ribs do not extend t0 therearmost edge of the plate, hence I cut back L the edges of the holderabove the reinforcing member as at il! to a point beyond the reinforcingrib 35, and thereby provide an abutment 3| against which the feedinglugs may strike.

Again the shortening of the reinforcing rib isv highly advantageous.Heretofore when the reinforcing rib extended the entire length of theplate and a plate was jammed or its progress in the printing machine wasinadvertently blocked. the feeding lug sometimes buckled the reinforcingrib. However, by shortening the rib I have increased its rigidity as acolumn and decreased the tendency of the ,holder to become distorted dueto the action of the feeding lug on the reinforcing rib when the holderis inadvertently jammed in the magazine or raceway of the printingmachine.

Present day requirements include the use of printing plates having avarying number of printing lines Vand to eliminate excess Weight, the 25height of the plate is varied as desired. Figs. l to '7 illustrate aholder having plate of maximum height, while Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate aholder having printing plates of less than maximum heights.

The scale of Figs. 8 and 9 is half the scale of Figs. i

1 and 2.

Fig. 8 illustrates a holder IBA of the same outside dimensions as Fig.l, but having a printing plate IIA, the height of which is less than theheight of the printing plate II of Fig. 1. In this instance, the heightof the data or index .card 22A is considerably greater than the heightof the card I2 in Fig. 1. Such a card provides space in which theoperator may m-ake various notations such as cre-dit, purchasingstatistics,

-or dates of payments, etc.

In Fig. 9, I illustrate a holder IBB for use with a printing plate IIA,but arranged to accommodate a smaller index card IZB. Such holders areused where but little data is to be carried by the index card and whereit is desired to eliminate all excess weight and reduce the cost andsize of the holder.

It will be noted that the reinforcing rib .of the holders of Figs. l, 8,and 9 are all the same length. and the variation in height of the holderls compensated for by varying the height of the cutaway portion fi@ ofthe holder. Such construction enables holders carrying different widthof index cards, printing plates or both to be conveniently utilized inthe same printing machine without any change of the feeding mechanism,vor to be interspersed with the wider plates Vin the magazine of theprinting machine. Moreover, when the address plate holders are filed inthe drawer, they may be retained thereby by cleats on the low sidesoverhanging the tops of the ribs on the holders, and herein my inventionis useful in allowing the same drawer to lock within it, addressplateholders having the card carry.- ing portions, the plate carryingportions or both portions of varying heights.

Certain types of addressing machines are equipped with .standard sizeplatens arranged to print from maximum sized printing plates. In orderthat the distortion or bending of the holder will not cause the indexcard or its retaining lips to coact with the platen, it is thereforedesirable that the holder be reinforced over the entire region overwhich the plate is superimposed.

This is especially true where various types of holders such as areillustrated in Figs. 1, 8, and 9 are dispersed in the same magazine. Itherefore find that the most advantageous length reinforcing rib is onesubstantially as long as the width of the maximum sized printing plateto be used. It will be noted that the reinforcing ribs of all types ofplate illustrated are of the same length.

It will be noticed that by constructing the holder as above Idescribed,I have appreciably decreased the rigidity of that portion or area whichsupports the index card. This, however, is not a disadvantage, butrather an advantage, since by decreasing the rigidity or weakening thearea of the plate which supports the index card, distortion resultingfrom rough or careless handling or use will be localized to that area.

In addition to localizing the area of distortion, I have decreased theamount of metal used in manufacturing these plates. While the amount ofthis decrease is small, it is, as heretofore pointed out, important asit permits three to four percent more plates (of the size shown in thedrawing) to be stored in a magazine or filing drawer without increasingthe weight of such magazine. Reference is made to my copendingapplication No. 748,705, filed October 17, 1934, for claims on a systemof printing comprising a method and apparatus for employing the articlesdescribed and claimed in this application.

I claim:

1. An address-printing device, having an area provided with a printingrmedium, an extension of the device above the printing medium forcarrying an index card, reinforcing ribs extending across the ends ofthe printing plate area, but terminating below the top of the device,said ribs being continuous throughout their entire length.

2. An address plate holder having an area provided with retainingdevices about the margin thereof for holding a printing plate on theholder, an extension of the holder above the printing plate area forcarrying an index card, and reinforcing ribs at the ends of the printingplate area which extend continuously across the entire printing platearea and terminate a substantial distance below the top of the holder.

3. An address plate holder having an area provided with a bead about thelower margin thereof and retaining devices adjacent its upper margin,for holding a printing plate on the holder, an extension of the holderabove the printing plate area, a bead along the upper edge of saidextension and retaining devices along the lower edge thereof, forholding an index card on the extension and reinforcing ribs at the endsof the printing plate area, which terminate approximately at the top andbottom of the plate area and extend continuously throughout their lengtht0 reinforce such area.

4. A holder for a printing plate and an index card, comprising a memberhaving a lower area equipped with marginal means for holding a printingplate thereon, an upper extension of the holder of less length than thelower region being inwardly offset therefrom at each end and pro'- videdwith means for carrying an index card, the wide and narrow portions ofthe one-piece frame corresponding approximately to the lengths of theplate and card respectively and ribs formed on the projecting portion ofthe lower region at each end thereof and extending continuously from thetop to the bottom of the lower region.

5. A holder for a printing plate and an index card comprising a, memberhaving a lower arca equipped with means for holding a printing platethereon, an upper extension of the holder of less length than the lowerregion being inwardly offset therefrom at each end and provided withmeans for carrying an index card, the lower edge of which is carried bymeans on the lower area, the Wide and narrow portions of the one-pieceframe corresponding approximately to the lengths of the plate and cardrespectively and ribs formed on the projecting portion of the lowerregion at each end thereof, and extending continuously from the top tothe bottom of the lower region.

6. An address plate holder having a portion of its opposite sidesextending outwardly beyond the remaining portions, reinforcing ribsunderlying such extensions, and retaining devices on the holder tosupport a printing device on that area of the plate bordered by saidextensions.

'7. An address plate holder having a lower portion projecting outwardlyat each end beyond the upper portion, reinforcing ribs underlying suchprojecting portions and extending continuously from top to bottomthereof, and retaining devices on the holder to support a printingdevice on the lower area of the holder between said extensions, and tohold an index card on the upper portion, the wide and narrow portions ofthe one-piece frame corresponding approximately to the lengths of theplate and card respectively.

8. An address plate holder comprising a thin metallic plate, reinforcingmembers at opposite ends of said holder and extending from the bottomthereof a predetermined distance and terminating short of the top of theholder, and means on said holder to support a printing device on thearea reenforced by said reinforcing members, whereby the lower region ofsaid holder is made more rigid than the upper region so that thetendency of the holder to distort will be localized to the upper region.

9. An address plate holder comprising a single integral member having alower portion extending at each end beyond the remaining upper portion,retaining devices on said holder for holding a printing plate on thelower portion, reinforcing ribs underlying the extensions of the lowerportion and extending continuously from one end of the lower portion tothe other, and means for engaging the ends of an index card overlyingthe upper portion, arranged to hold a card which does not extend beyondthe ends of the upper portion.

10. An address plate holder having a lower portion and an upper portionintegral therewith, the lower portion being longer in oppositedirections than the upper portion, reinforcing hollow ribs on the backof the extensions of the lower portion, the upper portion being bent atits ends substantially flat against the plate to protect such endswithout stiffening them to the extent of the lower portion, means forholding a printing plate entirely between the ribs, and means forholding an index cardinposition to overle the upper portion.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

